No More Learning

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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
p8. CXIX. steps in Thy word: and let not any iniquity have
(6) dominion over me. 134 Deliver me from the
(7) oppression of man: so will I keep Thy precepts.
135 Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant; and
(8) teach me Thy statutes. 136 Rivers of waters run
down mine eyes, because they keep not Thy law.
IRote on 3 The first three verses are a poem in praise of the
Law, the next four verses are a prayer for help in the
effort to live according to its precepts; the concluding
verse is the Psalmist's lament when he sees the law
of God neglected and forgotten.
The second verse suffers in translation, owing to
the fewness of English words to express the idea of
imparting wisdom. "It giveth understanding" is a
2t
TZADDI.
(1) 137 Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and upright are
(2) Thy judgments. 138 Thy testimonies that Thou
hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.
(3) i39 My zeal hath consumed me, because mine
(4) enemies have forgotten Thy words. 140 Thy word
is very pure: therefore Thy servant loveth it.
(5) 141 I am small and despised: yet do not I forget
(6) Thy precepts. 142 Thy righteousness is an ever-
lasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth.
(7) 143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me:
(8) yet Thy commandments are my delights. 144 The
righteousness of Thy testimonies is everlasting: give
me understanding, and I shall live.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
136 :^,-5n-nx to! ? ] nxn spjs 135
:wnin vio^-*fr bv m
I'V t ( ;it - at n j ;|t
cumbrous though accurate equivalent to the Hebrew mote on 3
idea expressed in one word of four letters.
The fourth verse also loses much of its ring, the six
words of the original having to be rendered by twenty
English words. Here is the literal translation :--
look-Thou upon-me, and-compassionate-me accord-
ing-to-the-privilege-of the-lovers-of Thy-name.
3
IVW 138 :^Bseto -IeM TfRV Tim p^X 137
*nx3p rmnax 139 nib nMaKi wfw pnx
*? t :|- i: jt v:iv I av | vjv
^jhJ3S nn3i ^ix 141 :nnnx ^35? i
:na<< friirn pnx "2 :*in^
ttc 144 vnraa *:m<<o pixor-a 143
:iTDj*) \3? ;? n dSV? ^ninj?
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
IRote on S The name of the letter (tzaddi) means righte-
ousness and canto tzaddi is a song of praise to the
everlasting righteousness of God.
The Psalmist sees that atrueunderstandingofGod's
righteousness gives life and light to the human soul.
As David says in another Psalm, "The testimony of
the Lord maketh wise the simple. " For it is not
cleverness but faith that helps us to goodness. No
P
KOPH.
(1) 145 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O
(2) Lord: I will keep Thy statutes. 146 I cried unto
Thee; save me, and I shall keep Thy testimonies.
(3) 147 I prevented the dawning of the morning,
(4) and cried: I hoped in Thy word. 148 Mine eyes
prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in
(5) Thy word. 149 Hear my voice according unto Thy
lovingkindness: O Lord, quicken me according to
(6) Thy judgment. 150 They draw nigh that follow
(7) after mischief: they are far from Thy law. 151 Thou
art near, O Lord; and all Thy commandments are
(8) truth. 152 Concerning Thy testimonies, I have
known of old that Thou hast founded them for ever.
P
mote on p Canto Koph is a passionate prayer for help from
God, a fervent expression of hope and faith.
The word "prevent" (in the third and fourth
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
effort of human thought can attune the human soul Iftote on ?
to such serene courage under all trouble and trial as
the faith that inspires the prayer of the last verse of
this canto.
"Give me understanding of the everlasting righte-
ousness of Thy testimonies*--and I shall live. "
* The Hebrew word JTV"Ty (testimonies) has no exact counter-
part in English. It conveys the double meaning of laws and acts.
P
:rrkx Tpn nirr *ay nS-SM *r>>np i<<
t i v I \n\ t: "i t: ? jt|t
147 :sp? f$ ^T^V spWP146
W ttwp ^nSr sinmS pRnetei eieto
-**i j :|* ? :it ? I :|t ;? -;it |v v-i
nat >snh Dnp 150 :*3'pi spsetea nirv
at ? :i j :| it ? |-- | << t: ? : t:
spnix? ? -S:! ) nin: nnx rrnj5 <<i nprn ^rnin?
verses) is used in the original meaning from the mote on p
Latin "prevenire/' to come before. In that sense
it exactly conveys the meaning of the Hebrew word
in the text, D~]\), to anticipate.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ps. CXIX. n
RESH.
(1) I53 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for
(2) I do not forget Thy law. 154 Plead my cause, and
deliver me: quicken me according to Thy word.
(3) I55 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they
(4) seek not Thy statutes. 156 Great are Thy tender
mercies, O Lord: quicken me according to Thy
(5) judgments. 157 Many are my persecutors and
mine enemies; yet do I not decline from Thy testi-
(6) monies. 158 I beheld the transgressors, and was
(7) grieved; because they kept not Thy word. i5g
Consider how I love Thy precepts: quicken me, 0
(8) Lord, according to Thy lovingkindness. 160 Thy
word is true from the beginning: and every one of
Thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
"I
IRote on 1 The keynote of Canto Resh is a prayer (con-
veyed in the expression, "quicken me,") for that
SCHIEN.
(1) 161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause:
(2) but my heart standeth in awe of Thy word. 162 I
rejoice at Thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
(3) 163 I hate and abhor lying: but Thy law do I love.
(4) 164 Seven times a day do I praise Thee because of
(5) Thy righteous judgments. 165 Great peace have
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
? : it t j | : it i- :-:: '? : t i? ? :
rtrn 155 :^>>n sjrno^ ^xji ran 154
TOT 156 ^TP*1? Tit1? -*a- DWl?
*fipfi D^ai 157 :n>>n t&b^m nirv 1 mi
j- : l r --i ? ! **- I iv tT 7: at: /? -
dh*q wni 158 :*rvp3 ih whSivts mn
? : i ? j. t ? 1 ? t j I v :? ? ? ? at t:
run 159 vb Stmak mte ntptatarini
: it t j I :|t; ? /v -; tat | ;v it
-&tq leo :^>>n spjpnB nirv. *nim y^pf*}
spiritual life, which is the consciousness of God in tflote on ~l
the human soul, and which gives us the highest and
purest form of courage.
npB 55n ^st] iei
:n SStr xitoi Trmox-Sy *b3n 162
it jt t ? ? : lw t: ? - ? tl jt
164 j ^? nx ^in naynxi ypnjjjp 163
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ps. CXIX. they which love Thy law: and nothing shall be a
(6) stumbling block to them. 166 Lord, I have hoped
for Thy salvation, and done Thy commandments.
(7) 167 My soul hath kept Thy testimonies; and I love
(8) them exceedingly. 168 I have kept Thy precepts
and Thy testimonies: for all my ways are before
Thee.
Mote on Canto Schien expresses the calm and steadfast
faith ot the Psalmist. "Great peace have they that
n
TAU.
(1) 169 Let my cry come near before Thee, O Lord:
give me understanding according to Thy word.
(2) 170 Let my supplication come before Thee: deliver
(3) me according to Thy word. 171 My lips shall utter
praise, when thou hast taught me Thy statutes.
(4) 172 My tongue shall speak of Thy word: for all
(5) Thy commandments are righteousness. 173 Let
Thine hand help me; for I have chosen Thy
(6) precepts. 174 I have longed for Thy salvation, O
(7) Lord; and Thy law is my delight. 175 Let my
soul live, and it shall praise Thee; and let Thy
(8) judgments help me. 176 I have gone astray like a
lost sheep; seek Thy servant; for I do not forget
Thy commandments.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
Y,rti ^'JW 108 t? Wl TW
llvTv j- t: t
love Thy law: and nothing shall be a stumbling block Tlote on V
to them. "
pjyan rcna nirv spaaS Ton npn 1e<<
n>>an 171 . woxs visb *nann Nian no
^itrS p? n 172 :Yj? n yyhiy *j riSru? *Jt$p
jfcfpov Hf'^jpn? 175 ^twi? to^I
pnn? t f riS ^niv6
24I R
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?
THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
mote on Pi In Canto Tau the "servant " of God, prays for
the Divine acceptance of his prayer poem, and for
Divine Mercy towards himself--and he humbly asks
that if he be tempted to do wrong, God will mercifully
lead him back to righteousness--as a shepherd leads
a strayed sheep back to the fold.
"For," he says, " I do not forget Thy command-
ments. "
When we know we have done wrong, we are
sometimes apt to try ? iol to hear the voice within us
that reproaches us for our wrong-doing. Then we
PSALM CXX.
21 Song of Degrees.
In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and He
heard me. 2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying
lips, and from a false tongue. 3 What shall be
given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee,
thou false tongue? 4 Sharp arrows of the mighty,
with coals of genista. * 5 Woe is me, that I so-
journ in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar ! f
6 My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth
peace. 7 I am for peace: but when I speak, they
are for war.
* A pink broom, which grows abundantly in the desert. It is
exceedingly bitter. The roots, when burned, make fine charcoal,
a precious thing in a country where there is no coal. "Sharp
arrows of the mighty with coals of genista" is a description in
imagery of the poet's hatred of all manner of untruth ; he would
punish, with sharpest weapon and hottest fire, the "false
tongue. "
t Mesech and Kedar were tribes of barbarians.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
are trying to forget the commandments of God. IRote on n
But if--like the Psalmist--we try to remember the
laws of God and are truly sorry whenever we have
disobeyed them, and try hard to resist doing so
again--then God will mercifully pardon our wrong-
doing. The Psalmist's prayer recalls the comforting
words of the prophet Isaiah: "Let the wicked for-
sake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts,,
and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have
mercy on him, and unto our God and He will abun-
dantly pardon. "
CXX. 3p
t j? _ t; 'r . i-- * t|t a>> tjtt- t ;i
oy D^3^ ni33 4 'rv&-j jitpS s|*p*-nw
n3ijr oy *traa n^-n3Dtr nan e :-np *Shx-D>>
V" ? a" :- jt t :|t 1 |t|" j"t;|t
:nanW? nan na-tx *ai DiW-^x 7 :Di^tr
|t t : ? - t ** a" --: j'; n I t
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
ore on This is the first of a series of fifteen Psalms, all
. CXX. with the title " A Song of Degrees," which means
a song of steps, a marching song.
Old Hebrew traditions say that these Songs were
sung by the Priests in procession on the steps of the
Temple at Jerusalem. Some of them may be older
still, and may have been sung by the Israelites, (to
whom they were probably as familiar as " God Save
the King " is to us), to beguile the way on the pil-
grimages to Jerusalem to celebrate the three great
yearly festivals of Passover, Pentecost, and Taber-
nacles. *
When the Israelites were carried away as captives
to Babylon, one the Psalms tells us how they silently
cherished their national hymns:
"By the rivers of Babylon, there sat we down and
"wept when we remembered Zion. Upon the
"willows in the midst thereof we hanged our harps.
"For there they that had led us captive required of
* "Three times a year shall all thy males appear before the
Lord thy God in the place that He shall choose " (Deut. xvi. 15).
PSALM CXXI.
a Song of Degrees.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills. Whence
cometh my help? 2 My help cometh from the
Lord, Which made heaven and earth. 3 He will
not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth
thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, He that keepeth
Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lorp
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
"us songs, and they that had wasted us--mirth, IRote on
"saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. CSX
"How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange
"land? "
After seventy years' captivity in Babylon, the
Israelites were allowed by King Cyrus of Persia,
(who had conquered the King of Babylon), to go back
to Jerusalem, and to rebuild the Temple. *
We can imagine the exiles setting out to return to
the land of their fathers, joyfully singing the old
marching hymns, and mingling with them new songs
of joy and thankfulness to God as they approached
Jerusalem, the beloved City that symbolized the
history of their race and faith.
The " Songs of Degrees " seem to carry us through
all the episodes of the return of Israel to the Father-
land. The first one, Psalm cxx. , rings with the
sorrow of the home-sick exile among unsympathetic
strangers.
Ezra, ch. i.
cxxi. nap
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
IPs. CXXI. is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right
hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor
the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve thee
from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. 8 The
Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming
in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
mote on Sorrow changes to hope as the great pilgrim-
IPs. CXXI. age starts on its way. The pilgrims eagerly
scan the horizon to catch sight of the mountain
range which marks the last stage of their journey.
But a vast plain is spread out before them; the
mountains of Zion are not yet in sight. "Whence
PSALM CXXII.
a Song of Degrees of Davio.
I WAS glad when they said unto me, Let us go into
the house of the Lord. 2 Our feet shall stand within
thy gates, O Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is builded as
a city that is compact together: 4 Whither the
tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord; a testimony
unto Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the
Lord. 5 For there are set thrones of judgment
the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the
peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love
thee. 7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity
within thy palaces. 8 For the sake of my brethren
and my companions I will now say, Peace be within
thee, 9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our
God I will seek thy good.
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
-p-Sy pin? sp&e> rftxi5 'hx'p] nibit? >><<? cxxi.
t:it- -/? ? t: tv- i v >v - t ||-. - ? :
cometh my help ? " cries the Psalmist, as he thinks flote on
of their many long days of wayfaring through un- P8, CXXI.
known lands and across the great desert inhabited
only by wild beasts.
The rest of the Psalm is his comforting and
courage-giving answer to his own question.
cxxn. nap
? t: <: t tV 1 t ; - 't t; iV *:
*a 5 :nin^ de'1? rvniir? ^n^S nm rr*&3#
it: j**: :a** t; ? : j? ? rx ? ? : ?
:Tn rnfcM bsetoS nixoj >>b* 1 rvs&
i ? t j": :? at: ? : j : * j :it t t
/ t r: i'|t i t; ? -att i; j:
a" v: jt; r* 1-- ;i ||t j t it t; --j
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
IRote on Jerusalem is the emblem of rejoicing, of Israel's
ps. CXXII. consciousness of the Divine blessing. The pilgrims
beguile the way by singing the glories of her history.
In imagination they have already reached the
PSALM CXXIII.
H Song of Degrees.
Unto Thee lift I up mine eyes, O Thou that
dwellest in the heavens. 2 Behold, as the eyes of
servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as
the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress;
so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that
He have mercy upon us. 3 Have mercy upon us, O
Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly
filled with contempt. 4 Our soul is exceedingly
filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and
with the contempt of the proud.
1Flote on Many a long march had to be accomplished to
pe. CXXIII. cover the 600 miles that lay between Babylon
and Jerusalem.
As the pilgrims trudged sturdily over the great
Syrian desert, they strengthened their hearts and
braced their bodies for the toilsome journey by the
PSALM CXXIV.
% Song of Degrees of Davto.
If it had not been the Lord Who was on our side,
now may Israel say; 2 If it had not been the Lord
Who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
3 Then they had swallowed us up alive, when their
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
cherished home of their forefathers, and restored mote on
the great Temple that was the centre and focus t>s' CXXII.
of the religious life of Israel.
cxxiii. aap
j -: i ?
nan 2 <d<< *ae>''n wtik *HKjw tVn
. . . ,|t t _ . . | _ a_ . . . . jt t j ?
: uan'0 ny wkx rrin^x tfw p wnaa t
|" t : v - V v: jt: v |j" jt :? : a-
nan 4 >up3|f nr*a qan nin; Ian 3
t&figi? nan D^ge>n jyVn n^>-nyae>
thought of God as their great Master, to whom all mote on
mankind owes faithful service. They thought with t>s' cxx
contempt of those who had slothfully preferred their
ease, and stayed behind, and prayed that God's
mercy might be with His more zealous servants.
cxxiv. nap
ioh 2 :htr&> so-netf* ub n w nirv hh
I t; ? t -- i at tjt V t ;i j"
D<<n *tx 3 *onx mpa vh nw nirr
j>> - ;i Itt j"t 11: at tjt V t;
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? THE CHILDREN'S PSALM-BOOK
t>3.